Manatee Players taps across the Atlantic with 'Anything Goes'

Manatee Players Artistic Director Rick Kerby has been spending his nights putting his cast of “Anything Goes” through an energetic workout of tap dancing. The Cole Porter musical, set on a ship bound from New York to England, is filled with dance routines, including one eight-minute number set to the title song.

Leading the dancers is Manatee veteran Andrea Wright, who plays the evangelist-nightclub singer Reno Sweeney. She stars with Omar Montes as stowaway Billy Crocker (he recently played Magaldi in “Evita”), Melanie Bierweiler as Hope, Brian Chunn as Sir Evelyn Oakleigh, Michael DeMocko as Moonface Martin (who hopes to become Public Enemy No. 1) and Brittney Klepper as his “assistant,” Erma.

Kerby is directing and choreographing the production that opens tonight and continues through Feb. 3. Aaron Casette is the musical director.

The show is almost completely sold out (it was originally announced as sold out, but approximately 200 seats were made available for the run). On sold-out nights, a waiting list is created one hour before each performance at the Manatee Players, 102 Old Main St., Bradenton.

Tickets are $26, $15 for teachers and $13 for students. For more information: 748-5875; manateeplayers.com.

Jay Handelman

Jay Handelman is the theater and television critic for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, where he has worked since 1984. He also is President of the Foundation of the American Theatre Critics Association and a two-time past chairman of the association's executive committee. He can be reached by email or call (941) 361-4931. Follow him at @jayhandelman on Twitter. Make sure to "Like" Arts Sarasota on Facebook for news and reviews of the arts.

Last modified: January 16, 2013
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